Multiannual plan for North Sea demersal fisheries

Briefing 30-08-2017

The European Parliament is due to decide a position in plenary in advance of interinstitutional negotiations on a legislative proposal for a multiannual plan to manage some fisheries in the North Sea. For its part, the Council adopted its general approach in April 2017. This plan would cover demersal species (i.e. species living close to the sea bottom) in the EU waters in the North Sea and some adjacent maritime areas. These stocks are exploited by various fishing fleets using various fishing gear but often catching different species together (mixed fisheries). These demersal fisheries, conducted by several thousand EU vessels, represent over 70% of the EU catches in this area. After the adoption of a plan concerning the Baltic Sea, this multiannual plan for North Sea demersal fisheries is the second management plan proposed by the European Commission since the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy agreed at the end of 2013. Such multiannual tools are essential for the sustainable exploitation of marine resources and offer better predictability on catches allowed to fishermen over time. They also set a framework for improved cooperation between the concerned Member States at sea regional level. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. To view earlier editions of this briefing, please see: PE 589.814, October 2016.